Film-feeding device



United States Patent inventors Eduard Keznickl;

Heinz Wilhelm Broeckl; Alfons Valoh; l-larald Schmidt; Michael Drahonovsky, Vienna, Austria Appl. No. 726,813

Filed May 6, 1968 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Assignees Karl Vockenhuber Vienna, Austria; Raimund llauser Vienna, Austria, both citizens of Austria Priority May 16, 1967, March 22, 1968 Austria Nos. A4583/67 and A2889/68 FILM-FEEDING DEVlCE 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

u.s. Cl. 242/192; 352/157; 226/170 1nt.Cl. G03b 1 04; G 1 lb 1 5/3 2 Field otSearch 242/5513,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,891,736 6/1959 Blaes 242/55.12 3,429,518 2/1969 McKee 242/55.ll

Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian AttorneyErnest G. Montague ABSTRACT: A film-feeding device, especially for film cartridges with a supply reel and opening in the cartridge wall, in

which a friction roller is arranged to thread the film and atleast one guiding roller spaced a distance from the friction roller and connected with a belt together propping in the operative positionimmediately against the circumference of the film coil At least one third roller is looped by the belt and the central points of the three rollers lie at the corner points of a fictitious triangle, whereby preferably, upon threading the leading film end out of the cartridge, the portion of the belt lying between the guiding and the friction roller intersects a runway of the film located inside the cartridge under an obtuse angle, of which the opening is opposite the runoff direction of the film.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Q l of 4 Sheet Sheet FIG. 7

FIG.6

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 4 3,542,310

Sheet 4- 01'4 FIG. 4

FILM-FEEDING DEVICE The invention relates to a film-feeding device, especially for film cartridges with a supply reel and an opening in the cartridge wall, into which opening a friction roller, arranged on a movable support member or the like, is inserted to thread the film, wherein at least one guiding roller is provided, which is preferably arranged on the support member and which is Spaced a distance from the friction roller in the moving direction of the support member, the distance being larger than the maximum way of the support member, so that the guiding roller remains always outside the cartridge, and wherein the friction roller is connected with a belt of rubber or the like, with which the friction roller props in its operating position immediately against the circumference of the film coil.

Film apparatus have already been suggested, which are provided with means for the reproduction of films arranged in cartridges and which show film feeding devices for guiding the leading end of the film out of the cartridge. These devices comprise a stripper disposed on the apparatus, which upon threading the film is inserted into the cartridge and abuts to the film coil, and a friction roller, which during the threading operation is pressed against the film coil in the runoff direction of the film immediately in front of the stripper, thus driving thefilm coil.

According to another not published suggestion, such a stripper is disposed inside the cartridge.

Frequently difficulties arise with apparatus of the kind described above, when the leading film end comes to lie by chance behind the end of the stripper resting on the film coil, but in front of the friction roller, this seen in the runoff direction of the film. Especially in the known device described first, this case will happen very often,-since the stripper as well as the friction roller have to be inserted into the cartridge through the opening in the cartridge wall and therefore they generally lie close side by side. When in this position of the leading film end, the drive for the friction roller is switched on, the latter distorts the-film coil, whereby the leading film end slides along theinner cylindrical cartridge wall and may arrive behind the friction roller. In this case the film stows and the leading end of the film is not pushed between the friction roller and the film coil, as desired. 1

In order to avoid such difficulties it has already been suggested to connect the friction roller, abutting the film coil, with a roller disposed outside the cartridge by means of a belt, which seizes the leading film end sliding along the inner cartridge wall and pushes it to the film coil. Ithowever proved that this arrangement does not offer a satisfactory solution of the problem mentioned above in all events. In the suggested construction the leading film end encounters the belt under a relatively acute angle, so that the friction between the belt and the leading end of the film is not sufficient as to guide it towards the friction roller.

According to the invention, this problem is'solved in that at least a third roller looped by the belt, is provided and that the central points of the three rollers lie at the corner points of a fictitious triangle, whereby preferably, upon threading the leading film end outof the cartridge, the portion of the belt lying between the guiding and the friction roller intersects a runway of the film located inside the cartridge under an obtuse angle, of which the opening is opposite the runoff direction of the film. In that, according to the invention, the central points of the three rollers lie at'the corner points of a fictitious triangle, the angle under which the film encounters the belt, becomes relatively wide, so that the film is reliably pushed to thefilm coil. The inventive measure is advantageous for cartridges in which the opening forthe insertion ofthe friction roller is at the same time the outlet opening opening for the film, as well as for .cartridges where an outlet separate from the-opening for the friction roller is provided. The inventive device could also be applied to film coils not arranged in cartridges or the like.

Aiming to keep the construction of the friction roller drive most simple and inexpensive, the arrangement of an advanced development of the invention shows the guiding roller formed as tension roller, whereas the third roller formed as driving roller is stationary, whereby the tension roller is preferably pivoted on a shiftable and turnable bolt lever coupled with the support member. Here the tension roller has sometimes to perform considerable compensating movements, when the friction roller is inserted into or guided out of the cartridge. This may be a disadvantage and therefore according to a further embodiment of the present invention, the support member or the like bearing the friction roller supports a further roller on its end averted from the friction roller, which further roller serves to guide the belt. This roller helps to compensate the changes of length of the belt and consequently reduces the oscillating movements of the boit lever.

In devices in which a stripper is provided, forming a channel together with one portion of the belt running from the friction roller, through which channel the film is fed, the inventive film feeding device preferably is improved in that the support member bearing the friction roller is guided during its movement into, respectively out of its operating position along a curve, the parameters of which are chosen so, that the channel in independence of the diameter of the coil essentially has a constant width. Thereby the stripper preferably may be arranged on a film apparatus, abutting at least in operating position, particularly spring urged, the circumference of the coil. This embodiment of the invention is especially adapted for film cartridges in which the opening for inserting the friction roller is also the outlet opening for the film. In this way it is assured that the channel remains equally wide with each film coil diameter, so that also in the range behind the friction roller (seen in the feeding direction of the film) a film mess" can be avoided. In the above-mentioned known construction this is only achieved with a specific coil diameter of the film coil, as the stripper pivots about another axis than that of the rollers. This brings disadvantages, as the leading end of the film has often to be seized from different coil diameters, where the mentioned condition is not fulfilled. Therefore difficulties always arise again.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly broken away, ofa projector with the device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofan embodiment of the invention illustrating the cartridge;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partially broken away, of a projector with another embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the device of FIG. 3 in rest position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the same device in operating position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, corresponding to the arrow VI of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the lines VIIVII of FIG. 5.

In a cartridge housing 101 (FIGS. 1, 2) a supply reel is rotatably arranged and is provided with a film coil I04 disposed on a reel core 103 of a reel 102. In using the cartridge in a filmqeproducing apparatus 125 it is necessary to push the leading film end 105, which may have an optional position on the film coil, out of the cartridge through an outlet opening 106. For that purpose a support member 108 is inserted into the cartridge through an opening 107 in the cartridge wall, bearing on its front portion a friction roller 109. The friction roller 109 arrives between the flanges of the reel 102 and props by means of a belt against the film coil. The belt preferably made of rubber simultaneously serves to establish the drive connection with the roller 116, which is energized by a schematically indicated motor 117. By the together with the. support member, that is, in

I is swingably mounted, which roller 109 rotating counterclockwise sense, the leading end of the film is moved in a more or less-curved form in clockwise sense in the direction of the outlet opening 106 of the cartridge whereby the leading film end generally abuts the inner cylindrical cartridge wall 110. The support member 108 108 together with the motor 117- is shiftable in longitudinal direction and guided'by bolts l18, connected with the housing and engaging longitudinal slots 119. (FIG. 2 shows one bolt 118 and one longitudinal slot 119.) The front portion of the support member 108 bears an oblique, upwards directed guiding surface 120. Upon inserting the support member into the cartridge, the guiding surface 120 encounters a leaf spring 122, which according to the illustrated embodiment is fastened to the inner cylindrical cartridge wall by means of rest position. Theleaf spring 12-2'acts asguide rail and is bent between the flanges of the reel 102 upon insertion of the support member, so that a smooth runway for the leading film end results thereof, which has no turning point that would cause a buckling of the film. In the cartridge a stripper lever 124 is pivotally arranged on an axis 123 and is pressed to the circumference of the coil by means of a spring 125a. By an adequate formation of the front portion of the stripperlever 124 it is guaranteed that it abuts only the range of the film perforation, so that damages of the pictures are avoided: V

The support member 108 shiftable in the longitudinal direction is provided with an extension 135, on which a guiding roller 136 is pivotally arranged for the belt 115. The portion of the belt 115 encountering the roller 109 crosses the inner cylindrical cartridge wall 110 under an obtuse angle, so thatthe leading film end abutting, in this range, the belt 115, is

' reliably seized by the belt and guided to the roller 109,

whereby the leading film end 105 arrives between the roller 109 and the film coil and is pushed by the roller 109 to the outlet opening of the cartridge. A friction wheel 112 is rotatably arranged in the cartridge 101, which shows a central pin 113 uponwhich the'film reel 102 is slipped. For rewinding the film-into the cartridge, a roller 126 is suitably provided in the projector 125, the roller 126 being driven by a motor 128 by means of a'belt 127 and is adapted 'to rotate the friction wheel 112.

In order to avoid the motor 117 from being displaced order to render possible that-the roller 116 is directlydriven by the main driving motor of the projector, the guiding roller 136 is preferably constructed as a tension roller, whereas the roller 116 is stationary. Such a construction is illustrated in a modified form in FIGS. 3 to 7, wherein the roller 116 corresponds to a driving roller 14 and the guiding roller 136 to a tension roller 28.

As illustrated in FIG. 3,-film cartridges of different size '2, 2a may be set up on the projector. After having set up the carinto the cartridge in order to take off the leading end ofthe film fromthe coil. The device 3 may also be used, when the film coil is not arranged in a cartridge.

For operating the device- 3 an operating bar 4 is provided (FIGS. 4, 5). At the butt of the bar 4 a lever 5 is disposed, pivoted with one end to the butt and turning around an axis of rotation 6. On its other end the lever 5 bears a roller 7. Around the axis of rotation of the roller 7 a support member 8 bears a friction' roller 9 on its front portion. The support member shows further an extension 10, which by means of a pin 11 is guided in a control curve 12.

Upon swinging the lever 5, the support member is shifted in the direction of the cartridge 2, respectively the coil disposed therein and in additionperforms a movement determined-by the control curve 12. A belt 13 is guided round the rollers 7, 9, which also loops a stationary driving roller 14. The portion 13a of the belt 13'running from the friction roller 9 to the driving roller.l4 forms a channel together with the stripper 15 in operating position of the device 3, through which channel the film, winding off the coil, is guided. This channel essentially al-' ways has a constant width independent of the diameter of the tridge, a device 3 designed in accordance with the present invention is inserted rivets 121 and abuts the inner cylindrical cartridge wall. in-its coil. In order to attain this, the stripper 15 is guided in its movement by control curves 16, 17. The drive for the movement of the stripper 15 results likewise from the operating bar 4. The operating bar 4 has an elongated hole 19, in which a pin 18 of a lever 21 turning around a center of rotation 20, is disposed. Upon shifting the operating bar 4, also the lever 21 is displaced. Consequently the stripper 15 is shifted, which by means of a pin 22 rests in a slot 23 of the lever 21. During this shifting movement of the stripper 15 the latter slides by means of sliding pins 24, 25 in the control curves 16, 17. The lever 21 is spring biased in the sense of pivoting to the operating position of the device 3 (FIG. 5) by a spring 26. In the same manner also the movement of the lever 5 is spring biased by a spring 27.

By the movement of the support member 8 a change of the belt length occurs and therefore, as already mentioned, the guiding roller is designed as tension roller 28, resting on a tension lever 29. The tension lever '29 is provided with a longitudinal slot 30. A pin 31 engages in this longitudinal slot and determines the center of rotation of the tension lever 29. The tension lever 29 however is always urged in opposite direction of the coil by means of a spring 32. The extension 10 of the support member 8 is provided with a guiding pin 33. This guiding pin 33 extends in a slot 34 of an extension 35, which is connected with the tension lever and is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tension lever.

Also here the portion of the belt 13 encountering the frictionroller 9 intersects the runway of the film under an obtuse angle, so that the leading end of the film abutting the belt 13 in this range, is reliably seized by the belt 13 and directed to the friction roller 9. Comparing FIGS. 4 and 5, it is clearly seen that by using the additional roller 7 and the tension roller 28 being shiftable in a longitudinal direction along the slot 30, the tension roller 28 swivels only little. As a consequence, the device according to the invention needs only little space.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 a lateral view, respectively a cross section of the inventive device is illustrated, whereby showing a plate 36of the projector 1, in which the control curves 12, and '16, 17 are provided. The projector wall 37 is also illustrated.

The device in accordance with the present invention may be designed in different manners. For instance it is advantageous 1. In a film-feeding device adapted to be used with a m reel having an outer cylindrical surface, film guide means surrounding said film reel and forming a chamber, said film guide means defining a runway for the film running off from said film reel, a support member having a front portion and a rear portion, said support member being movable into an operating position and into arest position, support member guide means guiding said support member in its movement, first roller means carried by said front portion of said support member and having an outer surface facing said cylindrical surface of said film reel, belt means adapted to engage said outer surface of said roller means, at least secondand third roller means also looped by said belt means and spaced from said first roller means, the centers of these three roller means being arranged in the corner points of a fictitious triangle, driving means adapted to drive said roller means by said belt means in said operating position of said support member: said first roller means abutting said film reel, one portion of said belt means intersecting said runway for the film at least at an angle of the opening of said angle being opposite the-runoff direction of the film, said second and said third roller means being outside said chamber, whereas in the rest position of said support member said first roller means is spaced from said film reel and said film guide means.

roller means being larger than the maximum way of said support member when moving from its rest position into its operating position. p

3. In a film-feeding device adapted to be used with a film reel having an outer cylindrical surface, film guide means sur- I face facing said cylindrical surface of said film reel, belt means adapted to engage said outer surface of said first roller means, at least second and third roller means also looped by said belt means and spaced from said first roller means, the centers of these three roller means being'arranged in the corner points of a fictitious triangle, driving means adapted to drive said roller means by said belt means, in said operating position of said support member: said first roller means abutting said film reel also driven by said belt means, one portion of said belt means intersecting said runway for the film at least at an angle of 90 the opening of said angle being opposite the runoff direction of the film, said second and said third roller means being outside said chamber, whereas in the rest position of said support member said first roller means is spaced from said film reel andsaid film guide means, comprising further stripper means lying close on said cylindrical surface of said film reel at least in operating position of said support member, a film channel formed by said stripper means together with one portion of said belt means, the parameters of said curved path of said guide means being chosen so as to maintain a substantially constant width of said channel independent of the diameter of said film reel.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said stripper means is spring loaded against said film reel.

5. The device as set forth in claim 3, with further roller means provided on said rear portion of said support member and being adapted to tension at least partially said belt means.

6. The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second roller means is a roller cooperating withtensioning means, said tension roller being adapted to hold said belt means in tension, whereas said third roller means is the driving roller directly driven by said driving means.

7. The device as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a tension lever bearing said tension roller; said lever being pivotally and axially shift ably mounted and drivingly connected with said support member, and further comprising spring means acting on said tension lever. 

